He also studied a year in Howard University in Birmingham. The first position he held was in the law office of Judge William Cunninghame at Linden, Alabama, his principal duties being in the office the newspaper, the Marengo Democrat, owned by the Judge. He remained there until 1904, then managed a commissary at Kates in Marengo County for the Nevers Lumber Company until 1905, following which he returned to Linden and bought the Marengo Democrat. A subscquent purchase gave him the Linden Reporter and after consolidating the two papers he continued the publication of the Democrat-Reporter until March, 1917. For a year after that date he worked for the Abstract & Title Guarantee Company at Montgomery, and at the same time did duty as a reporter for the Montgomery Reporter. He then became bookkeeper and general utility man for the Evansville Packing Company at Montgomery, remaining with that concern until 1922. He then went on the road, representing the Masonic Record, traveling out of Montgomery until February 12, 1923. At the latter date, he located at Evergreen, beginning duties as the foreman for the Evergreen Courant, and bought the paper on June 9, 1924. It is a democratic paper and circulates throughout Conecuh and surrounding counties. The offices and plant are located in the Lee & Pridgens Building.
Mr. Matkin also owns a substantial home on Magnolia Street. He is a Democrat, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church at Evergreen and while in Montgomery served as a member of the Board of Deacons of that church. He is a past master of the St. Albans Lodge No. 22, A.F. and A.M. at Linden and now has his affiliation with Greening Lodge No. 53, A.F. and A.M. He was formerly affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and is a past consul of Magnolia Camp No. 133, Woodmen of the World. He belongs to the Evergreen Lions Club.
Mr. Matkin on May 20, 1900, at Rembert, Alabama married Miss Bessie Thomas, who was born at Rembert in 1882, and died at Linden in 1914. By this marriage there were three children: Thaddeus W(alston), born February 28, 1901, who at the age of sixteen volunteered for service in the United States Navy, being assigned duty with the Hospital Corps and continuing four years, including the entire period of the World War, and is now an estimator for a job printing house in Los Angeles, California. The second child, Willie A(ugusta), is manager of the art and millinery department of the firm of Leonard, Fitzpatrick & Mueller of Montgomery. The youngest, Miss Bessie (Thomas), is at home.
On June 30, 1915, at Thomasville, Alabama, Mr. Matkin married Miss Enna Megginson, a native of Campbell, Clarke County, Alabama. Four children were born to this marriage: Lamar, Jr., who died when nine months old, Margaret (Addie), a student in the Evergreen public schools, as in also (Enna) Ruth and Doris (Gordon).

Thus ends the article. On October 31, 1926 another son was born, named James Grey Matkin. The family soon moved to Mobile, Alabama where Charles Douglas Matkin was born on April 15, 1936.

James died in 1995 after complications of surgery and was preceded in death by Doris in the 1985 (?). She died of cancer. Willie, or Billie as she was called, died of appendicitis in the 1940-s. Thad passed on in 1960 and Bessie died of pneumonia in her sixties. I will add exact dates soon.

I am told by Margaret that in Montgomery they lived on Adams Street near the State Capitol and the Governor "Bibb" Graves was often a guest for supper. I was in Montgomery last summer, but could not locate the house; mostly government buildings there now.

My understanding is that the depression caused the paper to fail and the family moved to Mobile, with Lamar selling insurance until the N.Y.A. was started. He worked as a time-keeper anad served as an air-raid warden when the war started. He worked as an armed guard at the shipyard for a good while. The last job he held was with Hertz Rent-A-Car. In his mid-seventies he became beridden with heart problems and was nursed by his wife until his death at age 79.

I had always been told that my father's parents and older sister had died of typhoid fever and he and his brothers were sent to live with relatives. Some years ago, I had a phone call from someone who said his name was also Charles Matkin. His middle name is Michael and he goes by the nickname, "Mickey". Turns out he is the GRANDSON of one of my father's brothers, who was raised in Texas. So, although Mickey and I are near the same age, there is another generation on his side of the family. He had another story to tell regarding the deaths of our common ancestors: He says he once read a newspaper account telling how the family, including the grandparents, left Alabama for Texas after the Civil War, taking their slaves with them. Apparently, the slaves either did not want to go with them, or did not like Texas, and wound up poisoning all the adult family members and the 16 year-old daughter. The two young boys and the infant (Lamar) may not have had the same food, so they survived. The slaves were eventually tried, and hung. Lamar was sent to live with his aunt, Magnolia (called "Danny") and her husband, Tom D. Walston. She ran a hotel in Linden, across the street from the Court House, in "old town". The Court House and most of the businesses moved later to be near the railroad station.